Kindred Spirits
by MasterCool
Summary: Moments between the swordsman and archaeologist.
1. First Walk

**A/N:** Don't ask me what this is because I don't know. Made this with the intent to post anything I write about these two.

I don't own One Piece.

* * *

 _First Walk_

The first time it happened, she had only been with them for a handful of days. One would figure joining the Straw Hat Pirates would immediately lead to a plethora of adventures and excitement, but alas, the world was a big place, the ocean a large part of it. The Going Merry could only sail so fast, after all. She hadn't minded, though. Nico Robin welcomed the downtime at sea; she had used the tranquil period to silently gauge those around her.

It hadn't been hard for her to win their trust. It was endearing, to say the least. Had she come in contact with them earlier, they'd either be dead or she'd have taken what she wanted and left. But, putting as much of her old life behind her as she could, she had got what she wanted: a nice place to stay for the time being. How long? She wasn't sure, but so far the archaeologist was intent on staying for as long as she was welcomed.

 _'Which most likely won't be for long,'_ she thought with a frown. She glanced over the same sentence for the fifth time in a row, thinking about her current situation seated on the upper deck of the Going Merry. There were six other individuals living with her now, and she was intent on reading all of them as if they were books.

She looked up at the crow's nest, watching the long-nosed sniper peering out to sea with his impressive pair of goggles. He was an interesting one. While she had barely come in contact with the young man, his rather controversial personality was well noted by the former baroque works agent. Long-nose enjoyed goofing around with the captain and doctor, and it appeared to be an everyday thing for him to tell far-fetched tales at dinner time, seemingly inserting himself within his made-up fantasies. Amusing.

The sniper yelled down to his captain, who was sprawled out on the main deck, complaining about food. The Straw Hat clad rubber boy enthralled her in a sense. After everything that happened in Alabasta, she still couldn't believe she was on his ship, sailing under his command. She was awfully curious what the lad was capable of.

A sudden movement in the nearby tangerine trees caught her attention, and Nico Robin was surprised to see the ship's navigator surface out of its branches with a bowl of newly plucked fruits. The orange haired girl caught the archeologist's gaze and smiled, before jumping down and descending the steps into the kitchen below. Sharing a cabin with the younger woman had been nothing short of pleasant these past few days. She was quick to accept her, after being easily bribed by a bag full of jewels, much to the older woman's amusement.

Yes, Robin was quite enjoying her stay with these people. A smile bore her face as she remembered a certain crew member not like the others. The little reindeer doctor was utterly adorable, if she had to say. The fact that he seemed to be a credible doctor merely bolstered her opinion of him. True, he didn't seem to like her until recently, but she figured that was most likely due to a certain someone's influence on the young pirate.

Her sight dropped as gentle footsteps began up the small set of stairs near her. She smiled and watched as the cook reached the back of the ship where she read, his face turning from curt to amorous in the blink of an eye. The man riddled her with affection and glamour, earning a few chuckles in response, before laying a glass filled with a lovely, orange drink on her foldable table. She thanked him as he bowed and returned to the kitchen, the scents from his drink and cigarette battling each other but failing against the calm aroma of the waters below. He was certainly an entertaining man. The skilled chef, as she had quickly dubbed him, was the easiest to bribe among the crew. She hadn't even needed to do anything for him to accept her.

Robin heard a low, guttural sound from across the deck, opposite of where she sat, and couldn't keep a smirk from forming on her lips. Of course, how could she forget? She stole a sideways glance at the green-haired swordsman and chuckled. Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter from the East Blue… She silently watched the crew over the past few days as she read to herself, and was quick to admit that the man amused her to no end. Oh yes, she had heard of his reputation, not to mention his contact with the very organization she helped lead. He hadn't changed over the past week. He made his stubborn suspicion clear to her several times a day, and she just smiled at him each time. She quite liked mind games. As an expert manipulator and scholar, Nico Robin enjoyed studying the minds of others. She had met his type before: stoic, strong, and suspicious. Astonishing strong, she should say. She was still surprised a relatively normal man like him was able to defeat Daz Bones. An initial bounty of 60,000 beli was nearly unheard of.

Strong indeed. The rest of the agents were dealt with as well, attributing to the strength and loyalty of the crew she now traveled with. She carefully watched the swordsman scoff at the retreating cook. So he had a rivalry with the blonde chef? How predictable. A tiny chuckle escaped her throat and his disproving eyes immediately darted towards her.

"What are you laughing at?" he barked with his usual frown plastered to his face.

Robin hummed in amusement, "Nothing. Pay me no mind, swordsman."

He grumbled and crossed his arms back over his chest, readjusting his back against the ship's railing. Robin's eyes mischievously flitted between the words on the page and the man across from her. His eyes closed again, but the tension in his frown and eyebrows remained. The archaeologist took a deep breath and smiled out to sea.

This was most definitely going to be an interesting stay.

* * *

Night soon fell and after dinner Nico Robin retreated to the room she shared with the resident navigator. The girl passed small talk between the two, warming up to Robin more and more each night. Robin was grateful for it. She might as well enjoy her stay on this ship, regardless of how long it would be.

With a yawn, the orange-haired woman curled into her bed and snuffed the candle on her nightstand. "I'm exhausted. My hand's still cramping from drawing maps all day," she sighed.

Robin smiled without turning from her book, "Seems you deserve some rest then. Do you mind if I read for a bit more?"

She could see a smile form on her roommate's face, "No, not at all. Goodnight, Robin."

"Pleasant dreams."

In mere minutes, the room became silent and Robin could tell the navigator was sound asleep. She smiled to herself as she lay in bed reading with her dim candle flickering next to her. It was moments like these that she truly cherished, moments that she was now a stranger to.

Coming to a reasonable stopping point, the archaeologist marked her page and placed her book on the table between the two beds. She debated whether to get some coffee and stay up reading, like she normally did, but decided against it. She was so at peace, perhaps she'd actually get some sleep.

And sleep she did. A rare night where her mind wasn't racing and nightmares were nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until much later into the morning that she was disturbed from her slumber. Heavy footsteps could be heard by anyone awake on the ship as the wooden stairs creaked underneath the wandering person. As the doorknob to the women's cabin turned, Robin's eyes snapped open. Her body tensed and her mind shifted to red alert, all too familiar with experiences like such before. She could hear the navigator softly snoring in the bed next to her and immediately ruled out her returning from the bathroom. Robin was reminded that it was the doctor's turn to watch the ship that night, and she was familiar with his peculiar footsteps. The door slowly opened and she bolted upright in her bed, crossing her arms and preparing for the intruder to walk through. The room was pitch black, save for the scarce moonlight let in through the now fully opened door.

After what seemed to be a century, the floorboards creaked under the weighty steps of the individual as they lazily walked into the room, not bothering to shut the door. Robin narrowed her eyes at the individual, trying to keep her breathing quiet and hoping her pounding heart wouldn't give her away. The person stood there for an entire minute and Robin was beginning to get impatient. Should she just kill them and get it over with? She kept her hands crossed in case the situation called for her powers.

"Who is there?" she whispered threateningly.

Whoever it was didn't seem to register her voice. She knew she had been loud enough. Nothing else could be heard outside the waves against the ship. The body turned at the foot of her bed, which was nearest to the door, and seemed to stare at the wall away from her. Robin reached for the candle next her bed and lit it with a deep breath. The stranger obviously wasn't intent on doing anything dangerous, so she momentarily relaxed herself.

Robin held the candle out between her and her unwelcomed guest, and her eyes immediately widened. The light flickered off of dark pants, a white shirt, and green hair. Robin's hand immediately shot up to her mouth to hold in a snort, but the foreign urge was too strong for her to mask. Her low, dulcet laughter echoed through the room, but neither the sleeping navigator nor swordsman heard it. The archaeologist quickly calmed herself down. When was the last time she had laughed out loud? She couldn't remember.

She grabbed the candle and slowly rose from her bed, making sure her blouse was fully buttoned, and approached the still standing pirate, "Swordsman …" she whispered, her voice drenched in amusement. Robin brought the candle up to the man and noticed his eyes were open and dead set on the wall in front of him. Her lips quivered into another smile, and she had to bite down on them to keep another audible laugh from escaping. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder, unsure of what to do exactly. It wasn't everyday she had someone sleepwalk into her room.

"Swordsman-san, are you awake?" She waited for a response she knew wouldn't come, but was surprised when his mouth lazily opened.

"You're… not a… swords…man…" he spoke, severely impaired. Robin brought her free hand up to her mouth. This was _too_ good.

"Fu fu fu… No, I'm not," she chuckled and waited another couple of minutes to see if he had anything else to say. She was aware of somnambulism, but had never encountered a case in person. Those who sleepwalked had no recollection or grasp on what they said.

"You… may… … … be… strong…" he slurred.

Robin raised her eyebrows and carefully placed the candle on her bed, "Oh?" The woman tried to get the man's attention away from the wall by leaning her head towards him and grasping his shoulders, but he wouldn't budge. She knew he had no idea she was there. He was still down below, sleeping on the couch for all he knew.

And she'd never admit it, but she _did_ know he slept on the couch.

"But… … I… will… de…feat… you…"

Robin smiled at the man. Maybe he was dreaming about a battle he once had. Perhaps his one against Daz in Alabasta? Her smile all but evaporated as his head turned towards her, and she stared into his lifeless eyes. She watched as the flame from the candle flickered across his black pupils and all Robin could do was think back to the last time she had been so intimidated. They stood staring at each other until Robin aberrantly cleared her throat.

"Swordsman-san, I think it's time you return to your quarters. Would you like me to take you?" She asked with a frown and a bend of her neck. Why was she so casually asking him? He couldn't even hear her. Even so, looking at the pirate hunter, she couldn't seem to think he was entirely oblivious to her, even while sleepwalking. After another minute of patiently waiting for his next act, Robin watched as he turned his body towards her and ever so slowly leaned into her much thinner frame. Her hands shot up to his broad shoulders in surprise.

"M-My, my, Swordsman…" she sang from her curved lips. "Hm…?"

"—has… a…" Robin leaned her head closer to his on her shoulder to decipher his mumbling. "…nice… … smile…"

Nice smile? Who—?

Before Robin could contemplate his words, she felt a set of large, warm hands rest atop hers on his shoulders. Gently, they pulled her hands down and held them in between their two bodies. The archaeologist stood there looking down at their hands. She had to remind herself that he was sleepwalking, and that a man as dangerous as him _wasn't_ as tender in reality as he was now. One of his thumbs rubbed against her own, and without so much as a mumble, the green-haired swordsman released her hands and slowly turned for the door, closing it on his way out.

Robin stood in the room staring back at the door, speechless. Nico Robin… She quite liked mind games. But never before had she come across one so tricky as that of Roronoa Zoro.

She was grateful for the game nonetheless. Perhaps she'd finally found something to win him over like the rest of the crew.


	2. Role Model

**A/N:** Three cheers for no plot.

I don't own One Piece.

* * *

 _Role Model_

"So, what are the others like?"

"The...others?"

Chopper looked at the raven-haired woman. She was smiling at him gently, and her blue eyes nearly pierced his heart. She'd done a good job of warming up to him in the past few days, which he wasn't sure he liked or not. He knew he shouldn't be too trusting, but Robin made it extremely hard to ignore her kindness.

"Yes, your other crewmates. I'd like to hear your opinion of them."

The reindeer cringed, unsure if he should explain anything to her. He didn't think anyone else would mind so much, but he wasn't exactly sure. Returning Robin's affectionate gaze with an uneasy one of his own, Chopper cleared his throat, "W-Well, I haven't been part of the crew for that long… I joined just before we got to Alabasta."

Robin frowned momentarily, but quickly brought her smile back, "I see. You've settled in though, haven't you?"

"Oh, definitely!" Chopper bounced with a laugh, seemingly forgetting about his prior anxiousness. "Everything's been great! I never knew being a pirate could be this much fun!" The archaeologist brought a hand up to cover her laugh. "Hey! What are you laughing at?!"

Robin crouched down in front of him, lightly tapping his blue nose with a slender finger, "You, silly. Won't you share some of your happiness with me?"

Chopper jumped back and began his little dance, "Shut up, jerk! I'm not happy at all! Just 'cause you smile at me doesn't mean I'll tell you anything!" Robin sat back down atop her stool, watching the reindeer with nothing but amusement. He certainly was adorable, but she _did_ want to know what he thought of the others. They were the only ones inside, just below the galley, and she wanted to take advantage of the time she had alone with the doctor.

"Well, you never answered my question," she reminded him. The doctor calmed down and looked back to her with a confused expression sprawled across his face. "How about we start with the captain?"

Chopper swallowed and nodded, "Luffy? I'm sure you've noticed, but he's kind of…uh…" he paused, trying to think of the best suited word to describe the rubber boy. "He's kinda weird," he finally decided.

"Fufufufu… How so?"

The reindeer's furry eyebrows creased, "You mean you can't see for yourself? I mean, he's made of rubber!" Robin smiled and lifted her arm. A hand bloomed out of Chopper's side and began tickling his belly.

"You and I aren't the most normal people either," she told. Another laugh escaped her lips as she watched her new crewmate roll around the floor.

"PFFF AAHH OKAAAAY! HA HA I GET IT!"

The appendage disappeared in a puff of petals and Chopper rose to his hooves, dusting his pants off before continuing where he left off, "Luffy's weird in the best way, I think. I can't really describe it, but there's just something about him that makes me glad I'm a part of his crew." Robin nodded her head in understanding, finding herself heartily agreeing with him. The straw hat boy was surely interesting, this Robin knew. The reindeer doctor smiled and let out a short laugh, "He's also really fun to be around, especially with Usopp!"

Robin was having trouble controlling her smile, "Oh? And what of Long-nose?"

"You mean Usopp? He's great! He tells really awesome stories! I think some of them are exaggerated, but he's a great pal regardless!" Chopper smiled thinking of the cowardly sharpshooter, "Me and him beat Mr. 4 and his partner together in Alabasta. Usopp may seem like a coward, but he believes in Luffy just as much as anyone else!"

The archaeologist's smile wavered, as she found herself inwardly distraught over the fact that the poor reindeer had trouble with agents of her organization. But as she repeatedly told herself, there was nothing to be done. She had been an enemy, but now she was here aboard their ship and a part of their crew.

"Your relationship with those two sounds lovely. Hm, let's see… How about Miss Navigator?"

"Oh, Nami?" A nervous smile took over his face, "She can be…scary at times, but she's a great navigator. She loves money too. Every time I think we're about to sink, Nami gives us orders and we're out of the storm in no time! I don't know how she does it! She's also really good at drawing maps. Did I mention she loves money?" Chopper finished as he waved his arms incredulously.

Robin closed her eyes as a genial chortle escaped her mouth. It seemed the reindeer was getting more comfortable sharing his thoughts to her, and for that she was grateful. "Who's next? How about the cook?"

Chopper began pacing happily in front of the archaeologist, "Sanji's such a great cook! His food is amazing! When I thought about being a pirate, I figured living on a ship would mean eating bad food every day, but boy was I wrong!"

"Fufu… He does outdo himself, doesn't he?"

"Oh, yeah!" The doctor came to a stop and gave her a surprisingly worried look, "The only thing is… When I first met him on my home island and he was my patient, him and Luffy kept trying to eat me. He also refers to me as the 'back-up food supply' or something and I can't tell if he's serious!"

Really? That was a new one. "Doctor, if any one tries to eat you, please just let me know. I'll happily deal with them." Chopper laughed, but quickly looked at her, remembering she was a skilled assassin, "EEEP!" He clumsily ran across the room and hid behind an empty stool, the wrong way of course.

"I can still see you."

He slowly reversed his body, but never broke eye contact.

"Now you think _I'm_ going to eat you?"

The zoan type released the breath he'd been holding and moved out from behind the chair, his hooves making that distinct patter sound with each small step. He made his way back over to his companion, "Sorry…"

Robin peered down at him playfully, "No need to apologize." She leaned forward with a smile, propping her elbow up against her knee and laying her chin in her palm, "It seems there's still one crew member remaining."

Chopper looked up at her knowing stare as the gears in his head turned to their correct positions, "Zoro!"

"Fufufu… Yes, our resident swordsman. Have you spent any time with him?"

The reindeer beamed up at her as his eyes sparkled, "Of course! I love Zoro! He's so AWESOME!"

Robin leaned back and blinked away her surprise, "Really?"

"Yeah! He's so strong, and he always knows what to do! Sometimes he even let's me ride on his shoulders and take naps on his head!"

"Naps on…his head?"

With an animated nod, the reindeer eagerly continued, "Uh-huh! I can't believe he actually uses three swords! I mean, have you ever heard of something like that!?"

Robin enjoyed watching the doctor gush about the stoic swordsman. She had assumed the man wouldn't have spared the reindeer a glance, but she found herself humorously proven wrong. Thinking of the two together put her in a good mood. "Now that you mention it, the three sword style isn't anything I've heard before."

"And he swings these GIANT weights around like they're made of tissues! And he can sleep _anywhere_! He taught me so many things while we were in Alabasta!" Chopper continued babbling happily about the green-haired man. Robin found herself pleasantly surprised as she chuckled to herself. Knowing that Roronoa Zoro had a soft side was sweet, and she took pleasure in seeing the little devil fruit user recalling their relationship.

"You really seem to like Mr. Swordsman, huh?"

Chopper finally calmed down, "Well… I guess I kind of look up to him…" he spoke slowly and quietly, but loud enough for Robin to hear. She hummed sweetly and offered him a warm smile, which he returned with a toothy grin.

"W-Wait!" he panicked, "Don't tell anyone I said that!"

The raven-haired woman brought two fingers across her lips in a zipping motion, "Don't worry, I won't. It's nice to know you share such a bond with him. Thank you for sharing."

Chopper rubbed the back of his head bashfully, "Oh, it's nothing! He's my number one patient, after all!"

"Is he now?"

A frown soon replaced his jovial smile, "Yeah, he had a lot of injuries before I joined that weren't properly treated. I've had to redo a lot of his old stitching, and he has scars everywhere. I'm surprised he's alive, honestly." Chopper peaked up at Robin to see her returning his gaze with a frown of her own. "Have you seen the big scar across his chest?" he asked without any hesitation. He watched a smirk form on her face, and swore he saw some sort of glint in her eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I have."

"I asked him about it, but he just told me Usopp was the one who helped stitch it up. He also got really hurt again in Alabasta." If it was anyone else, Robin would have gotten angry at them for continuously bringing up the desert island. She was at fault, however. While she hadn't directly delivered pain to any of the straw hats, she had been allied with those who did, and that fact alone caused her large amounts of guilt. She thought about how appropriate the swordsman's treatment of her was. Perhaps he related her with the pain they had all went through? Clearly a logical assumption.

"I've been treating his—"

Just then the door swiftly opened, startling both the doctor and archaeologist.

"Oi, Chopper, you in here? I need you to—"

Robin, facing the door, immediately locked eyes with the swordsman. His eyes quickly narrowed as his nonchalant demeanor shifted to surprise and finally caution. The woman closed her eyes with a guilty smile, doing all she could to break eye contact. She was supposed to be the manipulator, given the state of the other crew mates, but the first mate was proving to be much more of a challenge.

Chopper anxiously turned towards the door, "Zoro? What's wrong? Come in, quick!" The reindeer ushered his friend in. He was aware the swordsman was extremely suspicious of Robin, but after the nice conversation he had shared with her, he couldn't bring himself to tell her off.

"Nothing, it's not a big deal. These stitches are coming out. Just wondering if you could fix 'em," Zoro inquired, his tone gruff and terse. Robin kept a cheerful mask on, but couldn't brood over the man's cold disposition. It saddened her knowing she was the reason he was acting such a way, especially in front of the reindeer doctor.

"HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING AGAIN?!"

Robin's laughter mixed with Zoro's annoyed groan. "I already told you, I'm not sitting still for weeks doing nothing."

"Robin, do you mind leaving for a bit? I need to stitch one of Zoro's wounds back up," Chopper asked apologetically. Zoro merely grunted.

The archaeologist offered a smile to the two, "Of course, doctor. I'll be out on the deck if you need me." Picking up her book and coffee cup, she slipped out the door with a wave.

"What was that all about, Chopper?"

The reindeer looked at Zoro as he laid himself flat, "Oh, uh… Nothing, really. We were just talking." Chopper watched Zoro look away, seemingly not convinced. "She's really not as bad as you think, Zoro. She's nice."

A deep sigh escaped the swordsman's lips, "Seems so. But she can be as nice as she wants; it makes no difference to me. Now let's get this over with. I'm thirsty."

"All right, then stop fidgeting!"

From behind the table, a cloud of petals dispersed into the cabin's atmosphere. On deck, the midday wind gently blew through the archaeologist's hair as she turned to the first page of her new book. Before starting, she observed the ocean with a shrewd smile.

 _'Such a stubborn man.'_

It was a start, at least.


End file.
